Refrigerator cabinet



Sept. 16, 1941. J. L. KNIGHT REFRIGERATOR CABINET -Filed April 6, 1938Inventor: James LKnghb.

Patented Sept. 16, 1941 2,256,206 REFRIGERATOR CABINET James L. Knight,Erie, Pa.,

assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication April e, 193s, serial 10.200.394

(o1. zzo-9) Claims.

My invention relates to a refrigerator construction and moreparticularly to a breaker strip and gasket to be used in connection withrefrigerator doors or other closure members.

The objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as thefollowing description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will' be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

lFor a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a front view of a refrigeratorembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in sectiontaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspectiveview partly in section of a portion of my refrigerator. l

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a refrigerator I0 of thehousehold type having a foody compartment closed by a door II and amachinery compartment closed by a door being of the full-width type.

I have provided a thermally resistant breaker strip i3 of relativelyflexible material such as rubber to close the opening between an innershell I4 and an outer shell I5 of a cabinet side Wall. A door sealinggasket I6 is made integral with the strip I3. Inasmuch as the materialused for this combination breaker strip and gasket must be soft enoughto meet gasket requirements, the strip is preferably reinforced toprevent collapse inwardly when subjected to pressure. Therefore, in theembodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing an vopen groove orchannel, the width of which is approximately the same as the distancebetween the shells, is provided material, preferably non-metallic andnonhygroscopic, which serves to reinforce the strip and give a finishedappearance to the door iamb,

the reinforcing member being exposed to view I2, the doors in thesurface of the strip tov retain a reinforcing member of relatively stiffto form a flange I8.

one end may be bolted tending between adjacent 4 relatively wide channelagainst portion I9 of the outer shell and flange 20.

Breaker strip I3 is suitably formed, as by extrusion, with a' pair oflongitudinal grooves adapted to engage'fianges I8 and 20 thus closingthe opening between the inner and outer shells.

pair of outstanding opposing ribs 23 and 24 is rormed in theoutersurface of the strip thus forming a longitudinal groove or channel toreceive the reinforcement member Il. As mentioned above, this member Ilis preferably made from a non-metallic non-hygroscopic material.Resinous products, such as those known under the trade-names Textolite,Bakelite, etc., are well adapted to this purpose.

In order to rigidly support the inner and Vouter shells of the cabinetin the desired spaced relationship, the shells are connected by aplurality of jumper blocks 2l within the construction. These blocks arepreferably of non-metallic, non-hygroscopic material to minimize heatloss between the shells. Blocks 2| may be fastened in any suitablemanner. For example, to brackets 22 which in turn may be welded to angeI9 of the outer wall I5 while the other end of the blocks may be boltedtothe inner shell I4.

The door or front wall II of the cabinet illustrated is lprovided, withinner and outer shells 21 and 28 having opposing flanges 25 and `2lirespectively supported in spaced relationship by jumper blocks. Theopening between ilanges 25y and 26 is closed by a breaker strip 29 ofsuitableV material. Y

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to a specificrefrigerator door construction, other modiflcations will readily beapparent to those skilled in the art. I do not there` fore desire myinvention to be limited to the specific' arrangement shown anddescribed, and I intend in the appended claims to cover allmodifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as `new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the'United States is:

l. In combination with a cabinet having a door opening and a doorforclo'sing said opening, a wall construction including inner and outermetallic shells and insulating material therebetween, thermallyresistant breaker strip of relatively -iresilient non-hygroscopicmaterial exedges ofsaid shells, a in the outer surface of said breakerstrip, said breaker strip being provided with a reinforcing member ofrelatively wide channel in the outer surface thereofY dis-` posedintermediate the side edges thereof, an in- -tegral door sealingportion, .and a reinforcing member of relatively stiff material ln saidchannel and exposed to view when the door is opened.

3.l In combination with a cabinet having a door opening and a door forclosingysaid opening, a wall construction including inner and outermetallic shells and insulating material between said shells, a breakerstrip of relatively resilient nonhygroscopic material between adjacentedges of said shells, a laterally offset sealing portion integral withsaid'breaker strip, an open channel in the outer surface of said breakerstrip, said channel having a width approximately equal to the distancebetween said shells, and a reinforcing member of relatively still!material lodged in said channel and ,exposed to view when the door isopened.

4. In a refrigerator, a wall construction including inner and outershells and insulating material therebetween, a breaker strip ofrelatively resilientv non-hygroscopic material between adjacent-edges ofsaid shells, said breaker strip having a longitudinal groove along eachedge, eachl groove receiving the adjacent edge of the adjacent shell toclose the space therebetween, a pair of outstanding oppositely directedlongitudinai ribs dening a channel in the outer surface of said strip, areinforcing strip of relatively stii material adapted to be positionedwithin said channel, and a sealing portion integralwith saidbreakerstrip. I

5. In a refrigerator having a door opening and a door for closing saidopening, a wall construction including inner and outer shells andinsulating material therebetween, a breaker strip of relativelyresilient non-hygroscoplc material extending between the adjacent edgesof said shells, said breaker strip having a longitudinal groove alongeach edge thereof, each of said grooves rc-` Aceiving the edge of one ofsaid shells and conforming to said edge of said one of said shells, saidbreaker strip also being provided with .an open channel in the outersurface thereof, and a reinforcing member of relatively stiff materialdisposed in said channel and exposed to view JAMES L. KNIGHT.

' when the door is open.

